Pro Tip: Wait until the leaves are dry before mowing them. Wet leaves can be difficult to manage. Mow regularly through the fall to avoid an accumulation of leaves. A thick layer of leaves may have to be mowed several times in different directions to be properly mulched.
Wet leaves won't chop well with a mower, and they tend to clog rakes and leaf vacuums. You can skip raking completely by mowing over leaves and chopping them into small pieces. If you plan to compost leaves, chopping them first speeds up decomposition. Use a grass catcher to gather leaves as you mow over them.
While it is important to get the leaves off your lawn, you should let them dry out a bit before you mulch them or rake them up.
It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing. Wet grass clippings can clog your mower, causing it to choke and spit out clumps of wet grass that could smother and kill your lawn if left unraked. It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.
Cutting wet grass can clog your mower, cause fungal disease, and leave behind clumps that kill your lawn. If you have an electric mower, you could even suffer an electric shock. The best grass-cutting technique is to wait until your grass and soil are dry to the touch, usually 2 to 5 hours after a light rain.
Mid-Morning (8 AM - 10 AM)
Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles. Since mowing your grass in the early morning can damage it and mowing it during the early afternoon can burn it because of all the high temperatures, the ideal time is mid-morning.
“Using a mulching mower to not only mow but to mulch leaves will help keep your lawn properly trimmed, but also accelerate the rate of leaf decomposition into beneficial soil organic matter,” says Dan Sandor, who is also an expert in turfgrass science at Virginia Tech.
However, there are just as many benefits to mulching these leaves into the lawn with a properly equipped mower as there are for mulching grass clippings rather than bagging them. When mowed properly, leaves and grass clippings add nutrients to the lawn, improve the soil, and save time, money and the environment.
Leaves are biodegradable, meaning that bacteria or other living organisms can decompose them. While whole leaves take a longer time to break down (about two to three years), cut up leaves decompose faster (about one year) and can provide plenty of nutrients for the soil.
However, if you have a lawn that you want to maintain, getting rid of the fallen leaves is essential because, not only will wet leaves smother and kill the grass, they can also prevent new growth from taking hold come springtime. Also, wet leaves left on the grass will decompose and cause damage to the lawn.
It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing. Wet grass clippings can clog your mower, causing it to choke and spit out clumps of wet grass that could smother and kill your lawn if left unraked. It's best to wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.
USA Mower Blades with medium, high, or extra high lift are ideal for bagging leaves and grass clippings. Eagle Series Blades from USA Mower Blades are 3-in-1 blades that can also be used for bagging. The Eagle Series Blades from USA Mower Blades are ideal for fall leaf clean up.
Rake or De-Thatch the Yard
Before your first mow of the year, rake your yard thoroughly to loosen matted grass clumps and alleviate thatch. Thatch consists of a layer of leaves, roots and dead grass blades that build up between the live grass and the soil, which can keep water and air from reaching the grass.
Wait for wet leaves to dry and crisp up before trying to mow them. If you must mow wet leaves because the layer got too thick, spray some silicone on your mower first. String trimmers, leaf shredders, and other lawn maintenance tools often mulch wet leaves better than mowers.
Use a leaf blower or a lawn mower with a mulching feature; they can save you lots of time and effort. You can also turn those leaves into mulch or compost, which will benefit your garden. And to keep the mess under control, use leaf bags or tarps to gather everything up.
A quarter teaspoon of vinegar or half a lemon can be mixed with a pint of water and sprayed on the leaves. Vinegar is also a pest deterrent. The acid in both lemon juice and vinegar is acidic and can dissolve mineral salt deposits that can dry on your leaves if the water in your area is particularly hard.
Leave the leaves, or move them just a bit
Leaves are great for soil quality: they can suppress weeds, retain moisture, and boost nutrition. And perennial plants appreciate the extra insulation through the winter, too!
Even if you're performing weekly mowing, if you're cutting the grass too short, it could still turn yellow from stress. When you mow too short, you also invite weeds into your lawn. Opportunistic weeds are much more likely to invade weakened lawns, than dense and thriving ones.
Here's the good news: raking and bagging leaves, well, you can ditch it. Instead, just mow over those fallen leaves to chop them into tiny bits. It's called mulching, and it saves you work and also improves your lawn.
It's best to water your lawn after mowing only if it aligns with your regular irrigation schedule or when your grass is showing signs of underwatering. Look for signs of dehydration such as: Yellowing or browning leaves. Dry, crispy, or wilting grass blades.
Circling is an easy pattern to execute. After mowing the edges, continue making circular passes around the edge. Each pass will be shorter until you read the center of the lawn. You won't have to make any sharp turns necessary in some other patterns and you don't have to be careful about mowing in a straight line.
Risking heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heat stroke suggests you should not. When is it too hot to mow? Temperatures over 85°F mark the threshold. To maintain the health of your lawn and yourself, mow during cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening.